- DR Congo’s government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group reached a peace roadmap after five days of talks in Switzerland
- The two sides agreed to set up a mechanism to monitor ceasefire violations, with a first verification mission planned for Monday in Minembwe
- Key disagreements over M23 sanctions, detainee releases, and the timing of political reforms remain unresolved despite the agreement
The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have agreed a roadmap for peace negotiations, following five days of talks hosted in Switzerland.
A joint statement issued after the talks said both parties had committed to “pursue negotiations towards comprehensive peace and conflict resolution” under the US-brokered Doha Framework Agreement, which they first signed in 2025.
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Fighting, however, continued in eastern DR Congo even after that deal was reached.
According to BBC, the latest round of negotiations brought together M23, the DR Congo government, Qatar, the United States, the Republic of Togo, the African Union Commission, and host Switzerland.
Ceasefire monitoring mechanism established
The joint statement said the parties had agreed to “establish a mechanism tasked with reviewing progress and addressing challenges in implementation of obligations and commitments under the Doha Framework Agreement.” Both sides also developed “sequenced steps and timelines” while committing to “flexibility and creativity” in carrying them out.
A secretariat for monitoring ceasefire violations has already been set up, and the first verification mission is expected to take place on Monday in Minembwe, an area of South Kivu that has seen sustained fighting.
Despite repeated ceasefire pledges, violence has continued in both North and South Kivu, with the DR Congo government and M23 trading accusations over who is responsible for the violations.
Key disputes still unresolved
Several contentious issues were not resolved during the Switzerland talks, including sanctions against M23, the release of detainees held by both sides, and disagreements over when political reforms should take place.
The conflict in eastern DR Congo is deeply tied to tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali. Rwanda has long argued that DR Congo failed to dismantle the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which Kigali regards as a direct security threat. DR Congo denies providing any support to the FDLR and accuses Rwanda of backing M23 with soldiers and weapons.
Rwanda has consistently denied supporting M23, insisting its military presence in the region serves a defensive purpose against threats posed by other armed groups.
The situation worsened significantly in January 2025, when M23 captured parts of eastern DR Congo, including the city of Goma and two airports. The decades-long conflict has left thousands dead and forced hundreds of thousands of civilians from their homes.
Eastern DR Congo holds significant deposits of coltan and other minerals considered critical to the global electronics industry, adding an economic dimension to the ongoing instability in the region.
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DR Congo jets bomb M23 rebels in east
Legit.ng earlier reported that DR Congo’s military used newly deployed jets to bombard M23 positions in the east of the country on Tuesday, officials said, with some residents of rebel-held territory fleeing across the border.
A mostly Congolese Tutsi group, the M23 first leapt to prominence in 2012, briefly capturing the main city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Goma, before being driven out. After lying dormant for years, the group took up arms again in late 2021 claiming the DRC had failed to honour a pledge to integrate them into the army, among other grievances.
M23 rebels have won a string of victories against the Congolese army in North Kivu province in recent weeks, dramatically increasing the territory under their control.
Source: Legit.ng